State v. Gallagher, Unpublished Decision (6-27-2003)

CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 27, 2003
DocketNo. CA941
StatusUnpublished

This text of State v. Gallagher, Unpublished Decision (6-27-2003) (State v. Gallagher, Unpublished Decision (6-27-2003)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Gallagher, Unpublished Decision (6-27-2003), (Ohio Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

OPINION {¶ 1} On April 29, 1996, the Morrow County Grand Jury indicted appellant, Robert Gallagher, on one count of aggravated felonious assault in violation of R.C. 2903.11, three counts of aggravated rape in violation of R.C. 2907.02, one count of attempted murder in violation of R.C. 2903.02, one count of aggravated abduction in violation of R.C.2905.02 and one count of aggravated kidnapping in violation of R.C.2905.01. Said charges arose from an incident involving Carol Porter.

{¶ 2} On January 21, 1997, appellant pled guilty to aggravated felonious assault in the second degree and one count of aggravated rape in the first degree. The remaining counts were dismissed. By journal entry filed January 24, 1997, the trial court sentenced appellant to a total aggregate term of eighteen to forty years in prison. A hearing to consider the probation department's recommendations was held on February 21, 1997. By journal entry filed February 24, 1997, the trial court modified appellant's sentence to a total aggregate term of fourteen to forty years in prison.

{¶ 3} On February 1, 2000, appellee, the State of Ohio, filed a motion for a hearing to determine appellant's status pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act, R.C. Chapter 2950. On March 14, 2000, appellant filed a motion to reopen and reconsider his sentence. A hearing was held on December 3, 2001. By judgment entry filed same date, the trial court classified appellant as a "sexual predator." By journal entry filed December 11, 2001, the trial court sentenced appellant to a total aggregate term of fourteen to twenty-five years in prison.

{¶ 4} Appellant filed an appeal and this matter is now before this court for consideration. Assignments of error are as follows:

I
{¶ 5} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN ADJUDICATING MR. GALLAGHER A SEXUAL PREDATOR BECAUSE THE COURT DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE TIMING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SEXUAL PREDATOR HEARING AS SET FORTH IN R.C.2950.09(C)(1), IN VIOLATION OF MR. GALLAGHER'S RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS."

II
{¶ 6} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN HOLDING A SEXUAL PREDATOR HEARING IN THE ABSENCE OF AN AFFIRMATIVE RECOMMENDATION TO DO SO BY THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF REHABILTATION AND CORRECTION AS REQUIRED UNDER R.C.2950.09(C)(1), IN VIOLATION OF MR. GALLAGHER'S RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS."

III
{¶ 7} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN ADJUDICATING MR. GALLAGHER A SEXUAL PREDATOR BECAUSE THE CLASSIFICATION WAS BASED ON EVIDENCE INSUFFICIENT, AS A MATTER OF LAW, TO SUPPORT THE DESIGNATION."

{¶ 8} Appellant filed a supplemental brief and assigned the following errors:

APPELLANT GALLAGHER'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR I
{¶ 9} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY DENYING MR. GALLAGHER'S MOTION TO WITHDRAW HIS PLEA MADE BEFORE SENTENCING IN VIOLATION OF MR. GALLAGHER'S RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS."

APPELLANT GALLAGHER'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR II
{¶ 10} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY ACCEPTING MR. GALLAGHER'S GUILTY PLEA WHEN MR. GALLAGHER STATED ON THE RECORD THAT HE WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION DURING THE CRIM.R. 11 PLEA COLLOQUY, WITHOUT FIRST HOLDING A HEARING TO EVALUATE MR. GALLAGHER'S CONDITION IN VIOLATION OF MR. GALLAGHER'S RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS."

APPELLANT GALLAGHER'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR III
{¶ 11} "MR. GALLAGHER RECEIVED INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF TRIAL COUNSEL IN VIOLATION OF THE SIXTH AND FOURTEENTH AMENDMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND ARTICLE I, SECTION 10 OF THE OHIO CONSTITUTION."

APPELLANT GALLAGHER'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR IV
{¶ 12} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY SENTENCING MR. GALLAGHER ON BOTH RAPE AND FELONIOUS ASSAULT WITHOUT FIRST DETERMINING THAT THESE OFFENSES WERE NOT ALLIED OFFENSES OF SIMILAR IMPORT, IN VIOLATION OF MR. GALLAGHER'S RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS."

APPELLANT GALLAGHER'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR V
{¶ 13} "MR. GALLAGHER WAS PREJUDICED BY THE TRIAL COURT'S FAILURE TO NOTIFY THE FIRST ATTORNEY WHO WAS APPOINTED TO REPRESENT HIM ON APPEAL IN VIOLATION OF HIS RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS OF LAW."

APPELLANT GALLAGHER'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR VI
{¶ 14} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY VIOLATING MR. GALLAGHER'S PLEA AGREEMENT."

APPELLANT GALLAGHER'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR VII
{¶ 15} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY DENYING MR. GALLAGHER HIS RIGHT TO ALLOCUTION."

APPELLANT GALLAGHER'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR VIII
{¶ 16} "THE TRIAL COURT JUDGE ERRED IN FAILING TO RECUSE HIMSELF FROM MR. GALLAGHER'S CASE."

I, II
{¶ 17} Appellant claims the trial court did not comply with the timing requirements for the classification hearing as set forth in then R.C. 2950.09(B)(1), now R.C. 2950.09(B)(2), and did not have a recommendation from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to hold such hearing under then R.C. 2950.09(C)(1). We disagree.

{¶ 18} Appellant was originally sentenced on January 24, 1997, but by agreement, he was resentenced on December 11, 2001 in order to preserve his right to appeal. See, Petitioner's Waiver of Appearance for Resentencing filed February 2, 2001 and Judgment Entry filed March 30, 2001.1

{¶ 19} R.C. 2950.09(B)(1) explicitly stated a classification hearing shall be conducted prior to sentencing or during the sentencing hearing if the offense is a felony. By successfully arguing to void his original sentence for purposes of appeal, appellant placed himself at the sentencing phase thereby turning back the clock and rendering his claim of untimeliness moot.

{¶ 20} Appellant also argues because he had been incarcerated since his original sentencing, the trial court was without authority to hold a classification hearing for failure to comply with the provisions of then R.C. 2950.09(C)(1) which stated as follows:

{¶ 21} "If a person was convicted of or pleaded guilty to a sexually oriented offense prior to the effective date of this section, if the person was not sentenced for the offense on or after the effective date of this section, and if, on or after the effective date of this section, the offender is serving a term of imprisonment in a state correctional institution, prior to the offender's release from the term of imprisonment, the department of rehabilitation and correction shall determine whether to recommend that the offender be adjudicated as being a sexual predator.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
State v. Gallagher, Unpublished Decision (6-27-2003), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gallagher-unpublished-decision-6-27-2003-ohioctapp-2003.